


i'll be here in your darkest hours

by depresseddemoness



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Childhood Trauma, Emotional Baggage, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-25
Updated: 2021-01-25
Packaged: 2021-03-17 16:01:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,865
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28977060
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/depresseddemoness/pseuds/depresseddemoness
Summary: Emily takes a case to heart, and she finds herself opening up to JJ about it. Based on 3x05 (seven seconds)tw for implied rape/molestation
Relationships: Jennifer "JJ" Jareau/Emily Prentiss
Kudos: 72





	i'll be here in your darkest hours

**Author's Note:**

> tw for rape/molestation

  
  
  


They had found Katie in a backroom with duct tape over her mouth. JJ was relieved that they had found her, but she was specifically worried for Emily. She could tell that Emily had taken this case to heart just from her interactions with Susan that she witnessed.

\---

Emily slammed the doll on the table

“This... is how Katie sees herself.” she says as she holds the doll up in front of Susan's face. “Self-loathing, dirty, disgusting.” 

She puts the doll back on the table and looks into Susan’s eyes. “That is what your husband made her feel.”

“Those nights where she would stay at your house and he would sneak into her room and tell her not to make a sound...”

“No.. please... don’t.” Susan mumbled. 

“Do you know how terrified she must have been? How confused?”

Susan didn’t reply.

“While YOU lie awake, protecting an animal, who will always have those urges, and always has! There’s nothing left for you to protest Susan, instead of shielding her from more pain, you blamed her for your own. 

“No... no... no...” Susan exclaimed

“YES you did, you have robbed Katie of her childhood, are you going to steal the rest of her life from her as well?”

“Enough!” Susan yelped.

“Where is she?” Emily screamed in the other woman’s face.

\---

She saw Emily standing outside, seeming zoned out as Susan and her husband were being put away into police cars. 

She walked up towards Emily, lightly placing her hand on Emily’s shoulder, noticing Emily jump at her touch, but not recoil from it.

"Are you okay Emily? I know this case was hard for you, so if you want to talk, I'm here, okay?”

Emily gave her a tight smile. “I’m okay, but thank you JJ.”

JJ squeezed her shoulder, before walking away.

\----

The team was now back at the BAU, finishing up some last-minute paperwork. Emily was ready to get home and have a drink. Today’s case was a lot for her today. She found that she related to Katie, and her experience. A lot of old, not so good, memories were brought up to the surface today. She rushed through the last of her paperwork, before quickly gathering her things, not even bothering to say goodbye to any members of her team before she left the bullpen. JJ saw Emily leaving in such a rush, and wished she could be of help to the brunette. JJ thought that she would maybe talk to Emily about it tomorrow and give her some space for tonight.

Emily arrived at her apartment, eager to change out of her work-clothes and to try to drink her sorrows away. She made her way over to her bedroom, changing into a more comfortable sweatshirt and shorts, before grabbing herself a drink of scotch. 

She now sat on her couch, at 11pm, trying to keep her thoughts and memories at bay. She knew that she couldn’t hold it in much longer; that eventually, keeping it all in would do more harm than good. Then, JJ’s words from earlier came to mind. She knew it was late, but she really needed someone who would listen, and who better to do that than JJ? Emily finished off her scotch, before hopping up and changing into some sweatpants and shoes.

Emily hopped in her car, arriving at JJ's in just under 15 minutes. She didn’t want to bother the blonde, but she really didn’t have anyone else that she truly trusted enough to talk about this with. 

Emily now stood at the foot of JJ’s door, wondering if the other woman would even be awake at this hour. Before she could stop herself, she knocked. She could hear movement coming from inside now, and waited a couple seconds, before she saw JJ’s eyes in her view.

The first thing JJ saw when she opened the door was Emily’s glassy, sad eyes staring back at her. “Emily? What are you doing here? Are you okay?” Questions tumbled out of JJ’s mouth quickly.

Emily didn’t answer for a couple seconds. A tear rolled down her face and she replied. “Could we maybe.. talk?”

“Yes, of course Em! Come in, you must be cold out there!” JJ now opened the door wider, and brought Emily inside with her. She sat down on the couch, bringing Emily down with her. “Is it about the case?” Emily didn’t reply verbally, just nodding her head as more tears ran down her face.

“Oh honey, it’s okay..” JJ began to wipe Emily’s tears away with her hands, noting how Emily stiffened, but then relaxed into her touch quickly after.

After JJ finished wiping Emily’ tears away, JJ sat back slightly, taking Emily’s hands into her own. “So, what happened with the case, Emily?”

Emily looked down at their interlocked hands before replying. “It brought up a lot of old, not so good feelings and memories that i thought i’d gotten over a long time ago.”

Emily was still not looking at JJ, her focus seeming to be on their hands. 

JJ said, in a soft and comforting voice, “Emily, can you look at me?” Emily hesitantly looked up at her, her eyes still just as glassy and full of pain as they were when she arrived.

JJ ran her fingers over Emily’s hands softly. “D-Did something like what happened to Katie, happen to you, Em?”

Emily nodded, and not long after, broke down completely into sobs. The sight of Emily in so much pain broke JJ’s heart. JJ quickly gathered Emily in her arms, letting Emily bury her face in her neck. She ran a hand through Emily’s hair and rubbed her back for comfort. After a few minutes, Emily’s sobs died down to soft, quiet sniffles.

Emily, still hiding away in JJ’s embrace, spoke up. “I needed someone to talk to, i just couldn't hold it all in anymore… not after today.”

JJ kept running her fingers through Emily’s hair, which Emily found very comforting. “You shouldn’t have to hold it all in all the time Em, it’s okay to let someone in, okay? I don’t see you any less different than before, although it breaks my heart to see you in this much pain. I just want to help you through everything Emily. Do you think you’re ready to talk about it?”

After a few moments, JJ felt Emily nod against her shoulder. She pulled back from the hug, still holding on to Emily’s arms to comfort her.

Emily sniffled, and then spoke, eyes glued to the ground. “I was just a little younger than Katie when it started. Maybe 5 years old? As you know, I didn’t get a lot of attention from my mother growing up, and often had to fend for myself when it came to her. The only time I would e-ever receive attention from a parent was from my father… when he would come into my room late at night… and-” a sob erupted from Emily’s mouth, leading JJ to embrace her once again.

“You’re safe now, Em? Ok? You're always safe with me.” JJ whispered in Emily’s ear as she ran her hands through Emily’s hair, like earlier. JJ noted that Emily sunk ever further into her embrace when she repeated the gesture again.

“It didn’t stop until I was around 17, and I learned to fight back against him. He still tried almost every night, but I kept trying to stand my ground and say no. It didn't always work. He’d force me down when I'd try to fight back…”

JJ held her tighter than before. “Oh Em..”

Emily continued. “My mother found out when I was around 8, but she never did anything, never tried to protect me against him.. She just let it happen..” Emily began to gasp as she started to sob again. She hadn’t truly talked this out with anyone, barely even herself.

JJ continued to hold Emily tight, whispering kind words into Emily’s ear to calm her down.

Once Emily got her breathing under control, she began to speak again. “I guess Katie just reminded me of how i felt when it was happening. I felt dirty and disgusting all the time, sometimes even to this day.”

Emily stopped talking, finding herself to be exhausted after sharing one of her biggest secrets with JJ, and after crying so much. She rested her head against JJ’s shoulder, letting herself fully relax against her in their embrace.

JJ could feel Emily falling asleep in their embrace. She rubbed at her back a bit more before pulling away and brushing Emily’s hair out of her face so she could look her in the eyes.

Emily seemed to awaken at this, and opened her eyes to see JJ’s blue ones staring back at her, JJ’s hands still cupping her face, which Emily didn’t mind at all.

“You’re so strong. Do you know that? You are the strongest person I know Emily. You seem tired, do you want to get some rest?”

Emily smiled softly, and nodded, before asking, “Could I sleep with you tonight, Jayje?”

“Of course, Em. come on.” JJ sat up and hopped off the couch, before pulling Emily up with her, holding her hands yet again. JJ guided them to her room where she climbed into bed first, letting Emily climb into her arms and bury her head into JJ’s shoulder yet again.

“Is this okay, Em?”

“More than okay, Jen.” Emily mumbled sleepily, sinking into JJ’s touch even more than before. Soon after, they both drifted off into a deep slumber.

\---

JJ awoke to Emily thrashing in her arms slightly, whimpering quietly as tears rolled down her face. Emily was having a nightmare.

“Hey, Em? It’s okay, You’re okay…” JJ shook Emily slightly to wake her, and as she did, she ran her fingers in dark brown tresses to calm her.

Em gasped as she woke up from her nightmare. 

“You’re okay Em, You’re safe..” JJ spoke quietly as she wiped all of Emily’s tears away.

“I-I’m sorry Jayje. I really didn't think I'd have a nightmare tonight, I'm sorry to be such a bother.”

JJ cupped Emily’s face softly in her hands. “Shh… you're not a bother, you're never a bother to me, Em. You just thought and talked through a traumatic experience you went though just a few hours ago! It’s okay.” JJ held out her arms again, just like she did when they first climbed into bed just a few hours previously. Emily accepted, climbing into JJ’s arms yet again.

Just as they were about to fall asleep, Emily spoke quietly.

“Thank you, Jen…”

“F-For what Em?” JJ spoke as she pulled away slightly to look at Emily.

Emily looked her in the eyes. “For listening to me, for being trusting, for being understanding… for being here for me when i’m in pain..”

JJ smiled softly and gave Emily a kiss on the forehead. “No need to say thank you, Em. I will always be here, okay?”

Emily smiled and snuggled back into JJ’s embrace. “Okay.”

They both drifted off, this time not plagued with any nightmares for the rest of the night.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading!!


End file.
